Proposal to Collaborate Instructions Overview

This is not a grant application — if successful, funds will not be transferred to your institution to support your project. Rather, this is an application to collaborate with faculty in Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology (iSynBio), with the goal of developing innovative technologies in Synthetic Biology. If successful, you will partner with iSynBio faculty in developing a collaborative project plan, with funding to support visiting scholars to Shenzhen and carry out experiments at iSynBio.

iSynBio aims to establish a world-class research institute of synthetic biology by integrating Biotechnology (BT) and information technology (IT). The scientific objective of iSynBio is to make breakthroughs in key enabling technologies, such as the ability on quantitative description and prediction of living system, on design and construction of artificial genomes, and on automatic testing etc., and therefore, not only to promote the application of synthetic biotechnology in medical treatment, health, and materials, but also to push life science from observing to designing the living system. All innovative ideas are highly appreciated.  

I. Direction of Research to be funded

The Collaborate Fund of iSynBio encourages scientific research teams across the world to work with the PI Teams in iSynBio to develop innovative collaboration. Applicants are required to submit an application on any directions in synthetic biology according to their own interests. Each Collaborate Fund project will be evaluated by the iSynBio Academic Committee according to its scientific merits. Not all applications will be supported.

II. Funding Plan

In 2019, the collaborate funding will be no more than RMB 7 million and support up to 10 proposals in total.

III. Qualifications of the Applicants

The applicants must be scientists or entrepreneurs who are working on fields related to synthetic biology, and may be from any country and region. Overseas teams are especially encouraged to apply. In each proposal, at least one Co-PI shall be the full-time independent PI in iSynBio. The applicants shall meet the following requirements:

(I) The principle investigator and core members must have experiences to lead a research project. The PI must be the full-time employee of an institute. Only one Collaborate Fund will be allowed for each applicant in the same year.

(II) The applicant must be the representative of legal entity if from a corporation. Only one Collaborate Fund application will be allowed from each corporation.

(III) Applications under one of the following circumstances shall not apply for the Fund:

1. Any project applicants or participants listed in the shortlist (or black list) of low credit of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, or the country, or receives administrative punishments for personal reasons, etc.;

2. Any applicants make multiple applications using the same project by means of changing the title, etc.;

3. The main content of a project has been used by a unit independently or together with other units, and has obtained the national, provincial, or municipal project support.

IV. Application Materials

(I) Form of Application for iSynBio’s Collaborate Fund (Attachment 2-1)

(II) Applicant’s CV (Attachment 2-2)

(III) A List of Major Achievements from all Core Members of the Team in the past 3 Years (Attachment 2-3)

(IV) The Letter of Commitment on Project Declaration (Attachment 2-4)

V. Project Selection and Management

(I) The reviewing process of iSynBio’s Collaborate Fund includes unit’s declaration, format checking, expert reviewing, and announcement. iSynBio’s Collaborate Fund Project Management Department will be responsible for format examination, and the projects will subsequently be reviewed by the iSynBio Academic Committee.

(II) After funding announcement, iSynBio will oversee the contract-signing procedure and transfer the fund to other institutes within Shenzhen for the first year (if necessary). Subsequent funding will be granted after annual project reviewing.

VI. Outlay and Intellectual Property Management

(I) The outlays for the iSynBio’s Collaborate Fund will be granted by year, and all outlays shall be used according to the principle of “special fund for special purse”.

(II) All publications, books, and patents, etc. from the financial aid of iSynBio Collaborate Fund must acknowledge the funding, and the intellectual property generated during the study shall be executed according to related provisions of the applicant’s institute.

VII. Application Deadline

Submission of electronic materials: Please send the application materials to isynbio_grant@siat.ac.cn before 18:00 of Sept. 29, 2019.

Mail Address: F1201 Office, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Zip Code: 518055.

Contact Method: +86-755-86585243

The projects for which the materials are incomplete or not prepared according to requirements shall be deemed to fail in formal examination, and will not be submitted for review.

 (Contact Person: Yujuan Li, Tel: +86-755-86585243)